Reed for clarinets and saxophones



Oct. 28, 1930. c. o. WIDMAYER 1,779,522

REED FOR CLARINETS AND SAXOPHNES I Filed Nov. 5. 1927 Patented Oct. 28, 1930 PATENT FFICE CHARLES O. WIDMAY-ER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO REED FOR CLARINEIS AND SAXOPHONES Application filed November 5, 1927. Serial No. 231,256.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of reeds for reed musical instruments and more particularily for instruments such as clarinets and saxophones and other reed instruments.

The object of my invention is to provide reeds with more uniform qualities for vibration and eective operation as compared to reeds constructed solely of reed cane.

Reed cane in itself consists of grain and fibre largely of irregular and crooked growth and when, in this state, it is constructed into reeds of their full length and size, the irregularity of its growth does not admit of easy and free vibration and of good tone production. To supply'the more uniform qualities above referred to I use reed cane in shorter lengths which does away in part with long continuous grain and fibre of irregular growth, and combine these shorter lengths with like 0r other resilient materials in sections, thus constructing the reed as a whole.

Also when it is desired to construct the reed in one continuous length of reed cane the same improved results of more efficient operation are obtained by removing portions of the reed cane about the fulcrum point of the reed by cutting slots through the cane or by otherwise removing portions of it and the re- 50 moved portions are replaced with more resilient materials.' In these methods of construction waste, from non-operating reeds, is largely eliminated to the benefit ofthe consumer.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the lay side of the reed in one form.

Figure 2 is a longitudinalsection taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1. f

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is another form of my invention, 45 showing a side elevation of a mouthpiece with a reed having an interchangeable vibrating section, applied thereto and shown in section. Figure 5 is a plan view of the lay side at the intersection. I

Figure 6 is a vertical cross section of the reed intersection taken about on the line 6-6 of Figure l.

Figure 7 is another form of my invention showing a longitudinal section of a reed slotted through the body about the fulcrum point to receive a material having more resiliency than that of reed cane and shown here with spring wires being imbedded in cement.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross section taken on line 8 8 of Figure 7. 6o Figure 9 is a modified form of Figure 7 showing a vertical cross section of a. reed slotted only part way through the cane and reinforced with more resilient materials similarly as in Figure 7.

Figure 10 is another form of my invention showing a plan view of the reed from the outside, having a resilient spring plate attached at the fulcrum point on the lay side, with the reed having a recessed portion on the opposite side varying in size to meet the desired requirements of strength.

Figure 11 is a side elevation of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a vertical cross section on line4 12-12 of Figure l0. 75

Figure 13 is a modified form of Figure 1l, showing an interchangeable vibrating section.

Figure 111 is another form of my invention showing a longitudinal section of the reed on line 14 -14: of Figure 15; the reed being shown mounted on a portional view of the mouthpiece, containing the lay, and the vibratingv section of the reed having attached to it aresilient spring plate forming an interchangeable vibrating section with a clamped section which is secured to the mouth piece by screws.

Figure 15 is a. plan view of the lay-side of the reed of Figure 14. Y 90 Referring tov Figure 1, 1 is the vibrating section of the reed, joined to a resilient clamped section 2 by the interlocking prongs 3 and secured by cement 4. A ligature 8 shown in Figure 4L clamps the reed portion 2, 95 which constitutes the clamped section of the reed, to the lay of the mouthpiece 10.

For interchangeability the section la is secured only by the prongs 3a and the clamping plate 11 and the resilient spring plate 12 which form sockets 13 Where plates 11 and 12 are secured together by means 14, enclosing the sides of the pronged plate 15, a depression 16 in the reed 1a receives the small projecting hook 17 in spring like fashion, preventing the releaseV of the section 1a when in use.

In JFigures 7, S, and 9 a continuous member 1b costitutesfthe reed toiivvhic'hY is supplied resilient members 2O in the form of straight Wire springs imbedded in'y cement; theseV springs 20 are shown in slotted portions 24, in Figures 8 and 9, whereby the-reeds 1b and 1c respectively, are reinforcedvvith resilient spring Wire members imbedded in cement.

i In Figure 410.,the resilient member Qis shown having clinching prongs 'added at f ,the fulcrum .point 27 shown in 'Figures 10 and together.

'i 3.V A reed for y joined and cemented together.

`11andclinche`dto the reed about the fulcrum point giving resiliency to the vibrating end of the reed 1c (Figure 11) and the reed is shown recessed at 29 (Figure 12) to suit individual requirements.

An interchangeable vibrating end le' (Figure 13) is constructed separately from the 4clamped end 2e and joined at 30 and retained by friction 31 and clinched at 32 by the resilient plate 25e which extends along the lay side of the reed from the fulcrum point back- Wardly on the clamped end 2e.

, In Figures 14 and 1 5 is shown a combined resilient plate 25f With vibrating end 1f attached to the clamped end 2f by means 35 the detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is understood that the/specific vterminology is notV intended'tobe restrictive or confining, and jthat the various rearrangements of'parts 50 kv'resorted to Without departing from the scope andmodications of structural detail may be or the spirit claimed.

Whatlclaiin is:n n 'y 1. A reed for Wind musical instruments vof the invention as herein yconsisting of sections,fjoined and cemented 2( A reed forV Wind. musical instruments V- consisting ofV sections,l s aid sections being detachable.

Wind musical instruments consisting of sections of reed cane securely 4. Alreed for v Wind musical instruments yconsisting of a part Vofv reed cane Aand va part 8. Afreed for Windmusical instruments,-

comprisinga vibrating section, and a clamped section; the vibrating section being joined to and removable from the clamped section.

9. A reed for Wind' musical instruments,

comprising a vibrating section 4and a clamped section; the vibrating section joined to and removable from the clamped section;l the clamped section comprised of a resilient plate at the lay side of the reed,`a clamping plate at the upper side of theV reed, and With intermediate pronged members forming sockets to receive the vibratory section which also has prongedY members of equal proportions to those of the clamped section for interlocking With said clamped section.

10. A reed for Wind musical instruments Vcomprising a removable' vibrating section, and -a clamped section, the clamped section having aflixedfa resilient plate extending along the wlay-side of th-e vclamped section and attached thereto; the vibrating section being joined about the fulcrumpoint, with the `resilient plate attached to the clamped section.

11. A reed for Wind kmusical instruments comprised of a continuous member with a resilient plate applied on the lay-side at about the fulcrum point and secured thereto. Y

12. VA reedfor-vvind musical instruments comprised of a continuous memberslotted through the bodylongitudinallyat about the fulcrum point and the slottedportion replaced and reinforced by more resilient material.

V13. A reed kfor Wind musical instruments A: :omprised of a continuousmember having a vlongitudinally slotted portion at its fulcrumy.

point, cement, andfvvireV spring means imbedded therein and located in the slottedportin? 14s.4 A reed of the class described, comprising, incombination, a section adapted to be fastened to the mouthpiece of aavind musical instrument, and a vibrating' section of yreed connected tosaid first namedsection. n

r15.v Areed of the-class'described, comprising, in combination, a section of resilient nia-f;l

terialadapted to be fastened to the mouth- VVpieceof a Wind musical instrument, and a vibrating reedsection of camparatively short length as comparedto the Whole, connected ,to saidfirst named section to provide a 'com- 

